high water
by sprinklesomesalt
Summary: The mysteries surrounding the Great Lake are known to only a few. There's the merpeople, the grindylows and the giant squid, but who truly knows what lurks in those unfathomable depths? This lake will keep its secrets, come hell - or high water.
1. prologue

**a/n: **this is my first hp fic, let alone dramione, but i've decided to dabble in this fandom after reading many other well-written fics. dh is completely disregarded, and the ending of hbp as well. the plot – as far as i know – is completely original. i haven't read another fic like it. so, welcome to a psychological story of remorse – and what it truly means to be sorry.

**dedication:** to words that have no meaning any more.

**disclaimer:** all credit goes to the fantabulous j. k. rowling for giving me my personal playground.

* * *

_**prologue**_

* * *

_ab__ initio_

* * *

"Draco," she called his name by way of greeting.

He did not reply immediately. Moments of solitude were rare and in between, lately, and it wasn't often that he felt at peace. The windowsill was spacious enough for him to perch on, and the ledge overlooked the lake at the edge of Malfoy Manor.

It was a pleasant summer day and a light breeze had picked up, ruffling Draco's hair and sending ripples across the lake's surface. He eyed the watery depths with no small amount of longing – but he knew, as well as anyone, that drowning would not help at all.

"Draco?" This time the voice was closer, and Draco sensed, rather than heard, her take a few steps in his room.

He turned to greet his unwelcome visitor, "Morning, Tonks." Today, her hair was a deep, emerald color that did absolutely nothing to her already unflatteringly gray complexion. As if reinforcing Draco's words, Tonks turned a delicate shade of green before rushing to Draco's bathroom.

He politely waited for the retching noises to subside and ruefully thought of the many people that had invaded his home in recent weeks. Andromeda Tonks had been invited over by his mother – his aunt's death was apparently a cause for sentimentality, rather than celebration – and her husband had come along as well. A newly freed Lucius was in no mood to argue about his wife's questionable taste in houseguests – or he was frightened by her – and had accepted the Muggle-born. Tonks and Lupin had gotten married earlier, and she often stopped by, her easygoing demeanor overlooking the fact that they were supposed to be mortal enemies.

And – as of two months ago – Theodore Lupin, his as yet unborn nephew.

Draco was only glad that his cousin had decided to deviate from the Black tradition of naming offspring after constellations.

Tonks came back into view, rubbing her tired eyes with a sheepish expression. Draco made no reference to the incident, and asked, "Did Mother send you up to get me?"

Tonks grinned, "Actually, Aunt Cissa was furious that you didn't come down to eat the lavish meal she prepared herself, and is probably going to hex you the minute you walk downstairs."

Draco made a mental note to ask Lucius how he had lived with her all these years.

"However, you missed the post," Tonks tossed him an envelope that Draco caught instinctively with Seeker's reflexes. He automatically gauged the weight of the letter, and turned it over to see the familiar seal – snake and lion, eagle and badger.

His fingers hovered over it, warring emotions roiling inside of him. Tonks noticed his hesitation, and said, in a much gentler tone of voice, "You don't have to go, if you don't want to."

He looked up and met her eyes, pale gray clashing with black. He gave his favorite – his _only_ – cousin a wry smile, "It's not a matter of choice, is it?"

Tonks snorted, "Now you sound like Remus. It's always a matter of choice, Draco – between what is easy, and what is right."

"Oh, that's it?" Draco joked, before solemnly looking at the envelope again, "I'm not brave."

"I never said you were."

"I can't do the right thing."

Tonks raised an eyebrow, "You _can_, Draco, and that is why you feel so conflicted. As for bravery, a coward wouldn't have switched sides in the middle of a war."

Draco laughed, "No, it would've been suicide to remain on the Dark Lord's side. I merely chose to save my life."

"Well, at least I can vouch for your self-preservation skills, Draco," Tonks laughed, "But it was not easy, and it was right – no matter how you protest."

"I can't do it," Draco said as he opened the envelope, "I can't go back there." Contradictory to his words, he tilted it – two letters, a permission slip, and a badge came sliding out into his palm. Tonks walked over and inspected the silver and green badge with a smile.

"Looks like you've got no _choice_, mate."

* * *

The soft tapping was enough to bring the brunette out of her stupor. Pausing to tuck her curls behind an ear, she opened the window and let the owl in. It was one of the barn owls that she had seen hovering around Hogwarts, and was pleasantly surprised to see that it contained her acceptance letter for the seventh year.

The owl rested on her cluttered desk and hooted feebly as it saw the many balled-up parchments that lay around her room. Hermione ignored the mess as she scanned the paper by wandlight.

_Ms. Hermione Jean Granger,_

_We are pleased to invite you back for your seventh year. Enclosed is your Head Girl badge. You, and the respective Head Boy will be receiving instructions on the Hogwarts Express with regard to your positions. Included is the booklist for your seventh year. _

_Please note, as this is your final year, you will be taking the NEWTs and will have career counseling. Also, many scouts from various fields will come to Hogwarts to see your potential. We know that this will create a stressful environment, so we are allowing this batch of seventh years to be allowed to go to Hogsmeade at any time. Please have your parent/guardian sign the enclosed permission form._

Hermione smiled at the letter and visibly relaxed. The Head Girl badge was something she'd always known she'd get, and the fact that Hogwarts would still be up and running was a tremendous source of relief. Sweeping the mess of parchment to the side – Scrimegeour had asked about Harry's whereabouts, and Hermione was trying to compose a scathing letter – she reread the letter again.

The books would require another trip to Diagon Alley and she would need to deliver her letter to the Minister. Contemplating the list of supplies she would need, she wondered how many of Hogwarts' students would return for another year.

They had gained victory – yet lost so much.

Deep in the depths of the Great Lake, the giant squid swam through the waters. It paused by the dark-haired mermaid that gestured frantically at it, waving at it to follow her. The squid snorted out black ink and propelled itself to look at the object the water woman to pointing to.

A glint of metal was all that was seen before the squid hurriedly dislodged debris, covering it with a barrier of earth and stone.

_Some secrets are best left buried._

* * *

**tbc**

* * *

**a/n: **so? how was it? good? bad? in character? comments and criticism is always welcome! btw, NOT a draco = head boy, hermione = head girl story.


	2. chapter one

**a/n:** well, the mystery of the badges is cleared up in this delectable chapter. hope you enjoy!

**dedication:** to being on the losing side.

**disclaimer:** don't own naught. that's not correct grammer, is it?

* * *

_**chapter one**_

* * *

_bella gerant alii_

* * *

Scarcely a month later, and Draco stood on platform 9 ¾, desperately wishing to be anywhere else. Unfortunately, his cousin had a tight grip on his elbow, and he was afraid she would dislocate it if he tried to slip away.

"Come on, Draco, this isn't so bad," she said cheerfully, tugging his trunk behind her with her other hand, "Lighten up, will you?"

Draco refrained from mentioning that she had been the one who had been puking and cursing her husband this very morning.

"And, you've got a visitor!" Tonks exclaimed as she dragged him towards the end of the train. Draco was just about to remark that he wasn't in a jail cell, and had the liberty to refuse his _visitor, _when he saw who was waiting for them.

The dark hair fell limp across his green, bespectacled eyes as he gave a small wave, outfitted in robes of gray.

"Potter," Draco raised an eyebrow, "Aren't you supposed to be in Albania?"

The man laughed, "I would question how you know top-secret Ministry information – but I know better. And I came here to see you off."

The eyebrow rose higher, "To see _me_ off?" Tonks elbowed him in the ribs for his rudeness.

"Tonks," Harry gave a smile as he caught sight of her, "How are you doing?"

"You mean, _aside_ from the fact that I had to drag this sullen git through Muggle London?" she asked, in a perfect imitation of innocence. Harry laughed at her portrayal of Draco.

"The train's about to leave," Draco said, pretending to ignore their conversation, "I should get on board." He wrestled his trunk from Tonks and wriggled out of her grip before going to board the train.

"So, how is he?" Harry asked in an undertone as they watched the pale hair pass several compartments, "I've been trying to find a cure, but as of now, the only solution is one he'll never attempt to try."

"You can't blame him," Tonks said, throwing back her hair as it changed from green to scarlet, "The place holds many memories – the bad overshadows the good."

"So we need to find it first," Harry voiced aloud, "We need to find it – and destroy it."

* * *

Draco wandered down the corridor, searching for an empty compartment. Most of the students hid inside their compartments upon seeing him – frankly, he didn't blame them. He was a Death Eater, one of the few to be pardoned for his crimes, no wonder everyone was scurrying out of his way, not looking him in the eye.

Narrowing his eyes as a group of fourth-years panicked and burst into hysterics as he passed them – how did Potter deal with it? – he opened the nearest door he could find, and burst in, fully prepared to kick the original occupant out.

"Has the door offended you already, Malfoy?"

Draco paused in the act of pushing his trunk on the luggage rack above and quietly swore.

Of all the goddamn people, it _had _to be –

"Zabini."

The fellow seventh-year gestured for Draco to sit and resumed perusing the _Prophet_ in his hand. Draco took a seat opposite to him cautiously – with good reason. Blaise Zabini was one of the few Slytherins that did not have any tie to the Dark Lord – he had maintained a safe amount of neutrality to the whole affair.

Blaise looked up from the newspaper with an amused grin, "Sit, Draco. I'm not going to hex you."

For a minute, the compartment was quiet, broken only by the loud horn as the Hogwarts Express departed the station. Draco silently twirled his wand and stared out the window, watching as the scenery passed them by. Blaise continued to read, the paper crinkling every few seconds as notable faces glared out from the paper, screaming incomprehensible things.

Finally, Blaise folded the paper and put it to the side, looking Draco in the eye.

"So, Head Boy, is it?"

"Well, Dumbledore needed _someone_ for the job, and there were very few candidates."

"You actually think I care? Better you than me, anyway."

They lapsed into silence again – Draco spinning the wand on his fingers, Blaise watching the nervous movement with a blank expression on his face. Zabini had never been one of his most favorite people, but, then again, half of Slytherin House had been chucked into Azkaban. There wasn't much place for choice.

Draco was just about to make a snide retort on Blaise's latest stepfather when the door burst open – in half a second, he had lost his wand, fallen on the floor, and was going cross-eyed trying to look at the wand that was close to taking his eyes out.

"YOU COMPLETE _ARSE_!"

Blinking, he tried to regain control of the situation. His wand had fallen out of his hand from the impact with the floor, there was a shrieking banshee suffocating him, and Blaise was watching both of them with a full-out smile.

"Parkinson. Long time, no see," Blaise nodded before leaning back to enjoy the show. He even had the nerve to pull out a pack of Every-Flavor Beans.

Draco couldn't manage more than a strangled, "Pansy, let go!"

"YOU INFURIATING LITTLE BASTARD!" she shrieked, and Draco wondered whether it was possible to die of suffocation before she yelled his ears off. "I HATE YOU, YOU PRESUMPTOUS GIT!"

Blaise chewed a bean and spat it out when he realized it was cabbage – Draco sneered in revenge.

"ALL LAST YEAR YOU SCORNED ME, DIDN'T EVEN TELL ME THAT YOU JOINED YOU-KNOW-WHO!" Pansy seemed to have rehearsed her lines before showing up and was taking a sadistic pleasure in grabbing the front of Draco's robes and shaking him until he was disoriented. "YOU – YOU – YOU _FERRET_!"

"Ouch, Parkinson," Blaise winced, "That was a low blow." Pansy glared vindictively down at Draco, who was wheezing for breath, his ears ringing as the room spun and blurred.

Unfortunately, just as his vision cleared, the door slammed open again, and Draco could see the hint of red hair and cold brown eyes through Pansy's tangle of blonde hair.

"Excuse me, I was informed that the Head Boy would be in…this…compartment…" she trailed off as she saw Draco on the floor, the hint of silver flashing on his chest. Behind her, the redhead also came to a stop, staring at Draco, wide-eyed.

"That would be me, Granger," Blaise stood up, causing her to shift her attention to him, picking up his neatly folded newspaper, "We need to give the prefects their duties, don't we?"

"I – yes," Hermione snapped out of her trance, "Professor McGonagall's already gathered them, we just need to explain some of the changes that are taking place this year."

"Wonderful," he gestured to the door, "Lead the way." Ron went into the corridor first, followed by Hermione, who shot a glare at Draco before being followed by Blaise.

"Narcissa would be most displeased if you happened to kill her son, Parkinson," Blaise winked before sliding the compartment door shut.

Draco sighed – Pansy hadn't removed her wand from his jugular, his own wand lay out of reach, and today had given him a taste of what seventh-year at Hogwarts would _really_ be like.

* * *

**tbc**

* * *

**a/n:** well, here it is. enjoy!


End file.
